Chapter 30 ☆ Little Lotus Leaf (Part 1)

Hearing this voice, Cheng Yaoyao’s nose stung, and the grievances she had bottled up for days suddenly surfaced. “What are you doing here…”

Xie Fei hurriedly said, “Brother brought me here to give you medicine. The wound on your face had become infected. It will heal after applying the ointment.”

Cheng Yaoyao raised her hand to touch her face, but Xie Fei stopped her. “Don’t touch it. The ointment will be useless if it gets rubbed off.”

Cheng Yaoyao felt a cool breeze on her face, and her swollen and painful right cheek felt much better. She suddenly thought of something and raised her hand to cover her face. “Get out!”

Xie Fei was startled. “I… I…”

“It’s not you, it’s him!” Cheng Yaoyao tried to comfort her, then said fiercely, “Get out!”

Xie San didn’t say anything. There was the sound of footsteps leaving the room. The curtains shook, letting in the sunlight, and then blocked it out again.

Cheng Yaoyao then lifted the quilt and slowly supported herself on the kang to sit up. Xie Fei helped her. Cheng Yaoyao hadn’t gotten up for several days, so her body was stiff, but it didn’t hurt much. Instead, she felt comfortable and light.

She then turned to look at Xie Fei. Although Xie Fei was still a young girl, she was already very beautiful. She had a nose and jawline similar to Xie San’s, but her eyes were different. They were like those of a little deer, and her features were gentler and softer.

Cheng Yaoyao’s eyes lit up. She was indeed the little beauty described in the original book, with the charm of a Jiangnan water town ^[1]which refers to the water towns of southern China, known for their picturesque scenery and traditional architecture..

At the same time, Xie Fei was also shyly looking at Cheng Yaoyao, and after a long while, she said, “Sister, you are so beautiful…”

“You are very beautiful too.” Cheng Yaoyao’s eyes curled into a smile. Compliments from a beautiful woman are always the most fulfilling, and she did not hesitate to give one in return.

Xie Fei’s eyes trembled with excitement, and she blushed, saying, “No, no, I’m not beautiful. You are beautiful. You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen… No wonder my brother likes you so much.”

The second half of her sentence was mumbled. Xie Fei then picked up the bowl of ginger soup beside her and asked, “Would you like to drink some more? You were thirsty just now.”

Cheng Yaoyao took a look at the thick reddish-brown ginger soup and frowned immediately. “Is this what you gave me to drink just now?”

Xie Fei nodded. “Yes, it was placed next to your kang. The ginger soup is very thick, and it smells like a lot of brown sugar was added.”

Cheng Yaoyao vaguely remembered that she had a fever for the past few days, and someone had poured spicy and sweet juice into her mouth. It turned out to be ginger soup ^[2]which is a traditional Chinese remedy often used to ward off colds or warm the body.. But she had a wound on her face and couldn’t drink ginger soup… Cheng Yaoyao’s back was covered in cold sweat as she suddenly felt a chill.

She asked Xie Fei to pour her a bowl of water, drank it all in one breath, and then lay back down on the kang, coughing.

Xie Fei asked which basin she wanted, fetched a basin of water, wrung out a wet towel, and handed it to her. “Sister, wipe yourself down.”

The wet towel took away the sticky sweat from her skin, and her body gradually dried. Cheng Yaoyao exhaled a breath and seemed to come back to life. She looked at Xie Fei and said, “Thank you.”

“My brother asked me to help take care of you.” Xie Fei was so excited by the compliment that her face flushed. She quickly added, “I also want you to get better.”

Cheng Yaoyao curled her lips and raised her voice. “I will remember your kindness.”

Cheng Yaoyao was feeling very vulnerable and just wanted someone to keep her company. She talked to Xie Fei for a while and found that this little girl was as innocent as a little white lotus, always asking innocent questions but never annoying.

No wonder everyone likes white lotus… This white lotus ^[3]phrase used to describe a kind and pure-hearted person. chosen by the author is much cuter than Cheng Nuonuo.

Cheng Yaoyao took out a bottle of dried bayberries and some biscuits for Xie Fei to eat, but Xie Fei refused, saying, “My grandma and brother won’t let me eat other people’s food.”

“I also used the ointment your brother sent me. If you don’t want to take it, I won’t use the ointment either,” Cheng Yaoyao said.

“No! This medicine belongs to my brother… it’s very precious.” Xie Fei remembered her brother’s instructions and quickly changed her words.

Cheng Yaoyao raised her chin and said, “Then just eat the food.”

Xie Fei glanced outside the curtain, but there was no movement. Thinking that her brother wouldn’t object, she took a cookie and nibbled it in small bites. The cookie was sweet and crispy, with a hint of milk, and it was sprinkled with colorful sugar grains. It was delicious.

Xie Fei had never been hungry, but she had never eaten anything so tasty. It was even better than the glutinous rice cakes her brother had brought her from Bashang Village!

After eating one cookie, Xie Fei refused to eat any more. She thought it must be very expensive.

Just then, Xie San’s voice came from outside the curtain: “Xiao Fei, it’s getting late. We should go back.”

Cheng Yaoyao took out her watch and saw that it was already half past four.

Xie Fei looked curiously at Cheng Yaoyao’s watch for a moment, then said, “Oh, it’s already this late. I have to go home to help grandma feed the chickens and cook!”

Cheng Yaoyao felt a little disappointed, but she knew that Xie San would leave soon, and others would return from work. It would be troublesome if they were seen.

Cheng Yaoyao handed the bottle of dried bayberries to Xie Fei. “Take this home and eat it… Don’t refuse; I said I would give it to you earlier.”

Cheng Yaoyao raised her voice slightly, showing a bit of anger. She had quarreled with Xie San that day and forgot to give it to him, so she had kept it until now.

Xie Fei didn’t dare refuse or accept it and she looked outside the curtain in embarrassment.

Xie San didn’t say anything. He paused for a moment and said, “Xiao Fei, let’s go.”

Xie Fei took the bottle and said to Cheng Yaoyao, “Sister, I’m leaving now.”

“Well, come and play with me when you’re free,” Cheng Yaoyao said as she sat on the kang, feeling a bit reluctant to see them go.

She stayed alone in the dormitory every day, and when she was sick, she felt particularly wronged and just wanted someone to keep her company. But no one else had the time to stay with her.

Xie Fei nodded eagerly, “I’ll try my best!”

Xie Fei lifted the curtain and turned back to remind her, “Sister, you have to use the medicine in the bottle and apply it twice a day.”

Xie San was standing by the door, and as they met eyes, Cheng Yaoyao turned away in anger.

Xie San lowered his eyes, helped his sister lower the curtain, then turned and left.

Once again, Cheng Yaoyao was alone in the room. She lay down, dejected, looking at the bottle beside her pillow. She grabbed it and held it against her chest, finally feeling a little comforted.

When everyone returned in the evening, Cheng Yaoyao was able to get off the kang. She had taken a shower, her wet hair draped over her shoulders, and the half of her face that was visible was still radiant.

“Yaoyao, can you get out of bed?!” Han Yin asked happily as she approached her.

“Yeah. I feel much better.” Cheng Yaoyao turned around with a smile, and everyone exclaimed in surprise.

Cheng Yaoyao’s left cheek, which had been swollen, had subsided a lot and no longer looked puffy. The key point was that the sickly complexion she had for the past few days had disappeared, and her eyes were bright and lively, making it hard for people to look away.

Needless to say, everyone was happy, except for Liu Minxia, who stood by, digging her fingers tightly into her palm. What a pity.

Cheng Nuonuo was also surprised, but she quickly recovered and approached with a smile. “Sister Yaoyao, I’m so glad to see you’re okay.”

Upon hearing Cheng Nuonuo’s words, the others immediately remembered her efforts and said to Cheng Yaoyao, “It’s all thanks to Nuonuo this time. She bought the brown sugar water for you every day.”

“Yes, Nuonuo got up every night to give you water. She even cooked meals for you.”

Even Zhang Xiaofeng added, “Cheng Nuonuo really helped take care of you these past few nights.”

After hearing this, Cheng Yaoyao’s rosy lips curled into a hint of sarcasm as she looked at Cheng Nuonuo. “Really? It’s all thanks to you.”

Cheng Yaoyao expressed her gratitude in such an ironic tone that anyone could hear it.

Cheng Nuonuo lowered her head timidly, and Shen Yan immediately interjected, “Yaoyao, Nuonuo was kind enough to take care of you. Why are you still like this?”

“Thanks so much for her care! I didn’t get disfigured, nor did I die from the wound infection. Are you disappointed? I wasted so many bowls of your brown sugar water,” Cheng Yaoyao snapped, remembering the brown sugar water that had been poured into her mouth when she was delirious, and she became furious.

Shen Yan was even angrier. “Nuonuo was kind enough to give you brown sugar water, and you’re saying she gave it to you by mistake?”

Cheng Yaoyao glanced around at everyone, noticing their expressions that said, “Yaoyao is being unreasonable again.”

She sneered, “I had a fever and was dying, but you still forced me to drink brown sugar water and ginger tea every day and wouldn’t let me drink even a sip of plain water. Ginger and sugar are both irritants that can accelerate wound infections. Were you afraid I wouldn’t die fast enough?”

“How could that be!” The others were shocked and started whispering to each other.

At this moment, Zhang Xiaofeng said, “But Cheng Nuonuo said you were sweating too much every day, and she was afraid you’d catch a cold…”

Han Yin shouted, “That’s right! Yaoyao drank so much brown sugar water and ginger tea every day. The more she drank, the thirstier she got, and her fever never went away.”

People back then only thought of brown sugar as precious, not knowing that people with wound infections should avoid consuming large amounts of sugar. Cheng Nuonuo had clearly misunderstood the situation, and as a result, Cheng Yaoyao had symptoms of alternating cold and heat, which was mistaken for a cold.

Now, hearing what Cheng Yaoyao said, and recalling the symptoms she had when she was sick, it suddenly all made sense.

A male educated youth spoke up angrily, “If Yaoyao’s face had been disfigured, what good would it have done you, Cheng Nuonuo?”

The male educated youth rarely got involved in the quarrels between the women, especially since they had to consider Shen Yan’s feelings. But Cheng Yaoyao was their goddess, and anyone who tried to damage her face was their enemy!

Han Yin was also furious. “Cheng Nuonuo, is what Yaoyao said true?!”

“No… No, no!” Cheng Nuonuo shook her head hurriedly, tears falling like beads from a broken string.

But the others weren’t Shen Yan, and they didn’t care about Cheng Nuonuo’s tears. Especially Han Yin and Zhang Xiaofeng—they looked at Cheng Nuonuo with contempt, while the other boys glared at her in anger.

Cheng Nuonuo sobbed and turned to Shen Yan, crying, “I really didn’t know! Brown sugar is a tonic. Everyone drinks brown sugar water to nourish their body after giving birth. How could it affect a wound? I honestly didn’t know that brown sugar would be bad for Sister Yaoyao’s wound. Please believe me.”

Though she addressed everyone, her eyes were only on Shen Yan. At this point, she no longer cared about the others’ opinions. As long as Shen Yan believed in her, she still felt like the winner.

Shen Yan was silent. Han Yin interjected, “Shen Yan, you’re the only one in the whole youth center who still believes Cheng Nuonuo is as innocent as she looks.”

Seeing Cheng Nuonuo’s tear-streaked face, Shen Yan closed his eyes painfully but still said to Cheng Yaoyao, “Yaoyao, you need to provide evidence for your accusations. Do you realize how serious an impact this could have on Nuonuo’s reputation?”

Cheng Yaoyao crossed her arms and stared at him coldly, “This isn’t a court, and you’re not a judge. You have no right to demand evidence from me. You should be thankful I can’t produce concrete proof; otherwise, do you think she would still be standing here?”

Cheng Yaoyao was clearly making excuses, but Shen Yan was left speechless, stunned on the spot.

The others were silent, but they all sided with Cheng Yaoyao. Shen Yan suddenly realized that he and Cheng Nuonuo were isolated from the group.

When did things turn out like this?

After the others left, Cheng Nuonuo boldly hugged Shen Yan, leaning against him like a little bird. She looked up at him and said, “Ah Yan, thank you for believing in me.”